 Violence in Oahu
> You're more likely to get your gun stolen than get
> beaten up. IIRC we don't have as much violent crime as
> other states. Beatings like this are rare, and they
> make you wonder what is wrong with our system of
> justice and social services-- a very wide range.
I would think that one reason is that we are trying to do things that
are direct opposite of each other. On the one hand we want to send a
message to the people, that "if" they commit a crime, they could be punished for
that crime, the level of punishment varies with the type of crime. But
then when they are sent to prison, we don't want it to be too severe. So, we
end up diluting the very purpose of putting them in jail. And I think the
recidicism rate proves that to be true.
> Of course there's an element of a hate crime here
> because the senseless and severe nature of the
> violence. Without witnessess at the scene, they might
> have killed the couple. But because of the way hate
> crime laws are applied in Hawaii, there will rarely be
> prosecution for that. It's looked at as a traffic
> dispute that got out of control. It would have been
> considered a hate crime only if there was no other
> reason-- ie the victims were selected at random for no
> other reason than race for beating up.
Well, actually I think that Hawaii has improved a whole lot in the
area of hate crimes. When I was young, it use to be a "sport" to beat up on
Haole's. I am willing to bet, there is a whole lot less of that
happening today, than existed when you and I were young. |